Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” .
Matthew 7:12
Seek to understand the challenges of waste in your locally area and globally.
The story of waste is often a tale of two cities – suburban areas with regular pick ups, even curb side recycling services and peri-urban areas with illegal dumping, plastic being burnt creating toxic fumes, because there is inadequate waste pick ups.
Globally we’re facing mountains of plastic pollution. 2 billion people have no safe way to dispose of rubbish, and it’s people in poverty who are suffering the worst impacts of this rubbish problem. They are forced to live and work among piles of waste, which is making them sick, releasing toxic fumes, flooding communities and causing up to a million deaths each year. Burning the waste will release toxic fumes that you and your family will inhale. Burning also releases carbon emissions, contributing to climate change and pollution of the environment. Some of the waste will end up clogging drains, rivers and streams in your community, making flooding worse and damaging homes and infrastructure. Waste also affects livelihoods as it depletes fish stock, creates hazards for livestock, and hinders tourism. And gathered waste will attract pests that carry diseases. The diseases caused by mismanaged waste are resulting in the death of up to a million people each year: that’s one person dying every 30 seconds. Crucially, those who are dying are most likely to be people living in poverty. This too is a broken system. (Tearfund Rubbish Campaign)
Watch this Tearfund short video clip https://vimeo.com/791870301
Do some research today and find out more
There are resources for church talks and children on this great Tearfund site
https://www.tearfund.org/campaigns/rubbish-campaign/rubbish-campaign-resources